Gig-proof! Tips and tricks

tubortski

tubortski

Member
What do you do to ensure your gear is ready for gigs? Guitars, amps, pedalboards... really anything about gigging is up for discussion.

Also, if you had a problem at a gig, how did you recover ?
 
- Bring a backup for everything
- Practice changing a broken string in less than 1 minute
- Keep cables organized (taped together in bundles) so you don't trip over them
- Label or color code cable ends so you can plug everything in fast and concentrate on your tone tweaking
- Write down all effect and amp typical settings so you have a point to start tweaking from at each gig
- Keep all cables and accessories in 1 or 2 big bins or bags so you aren't trying to load in/out too much stuff
 
Don't let your wife kick over a beer that creates a puddle under your feet while you are unplugging electrical components after a gig. Yes this happened and thankfully I didn't fry. :)

Seriously though, backup amp and backup guitar are the biggest things in my opinion. I don't think a string break is too huge of a deal but depends on the show. If you are in a tribute band and everyone is there to see this epic show, then yes. If you are playing in a bar and just need to take a 5 minute break, not as huge of a deal.
 
First off, make sure you know your gear well, so any faults can be diagnosed quickly and you can tweak settings easily if you need to
Put fresh batteries and new strings on the main guitars, and have a backup.
have a couple of spare pre-amp and power amp tubes (if appropriate) as well as batteries, strings and basic tools (string winder!!)
zap strap cable 'snakes' together so things are neat and tidy and easy to setup
use coloured tape to identify cables as yours
Keep the stage tidy so you don't trip yourself up or unplug anything!
 
My near catastrophes on stage events all had to do with tubes and/or fuses. I have multiples of each now, and a backup head in the car just in case. It really sucks to be in there digging around in your amp 15 minutes after you are supposed to start and everyone is staring at you.
 
Good replies. Keep em coming.

I'll be honest, I beat the piss out of my guitars. I'm thinking of re-wiring it in a way that is simple and fool-proof.
 
No one has mentioned this yet, but I have found a small LED flashlight to be a very good thing to have with me. The small ones are strong enough for me to see what I need (their range is only 2 feet or so) but yet not strong enough that anyone else notices.
 
I have one of those padded/sectioned cases that I think I got from Home Depot (they are textured aluminum outside). It's the gig emergency kit. I try to have every connection covered so I have all those adapters for XLR ends, some with transformers. All kinds of 1/4"-to-RCA or RCA-to-1/8", etc. or whatever combination I can think of. Spare tubes, several spare IEC power cables, a spare SM57 and SM58, tools, duct tape, etc. Saved the day many times.
 
My advice if you have a problem during a gig with signal, is to immediately plug straight into your amp and bypass your pedals. 99% of the time it's been a pedalboard/cable issue for me over the last 30 yrs at gigs. Finish the set and diagnose in between shots on set break. Lol
 
I approach it like this, if my guitar or amp dies can I make it thru the gig. I have backup of ALL the small shit, cables, strings, batteries, strap. That is a given but I always bring an extra guitar and a small tech 21 tri-od and extra tuner. Plugged direct to the PA the tech 21 sounds very good and will let the show go on. There is NO time at a gig to figure out what is wrong so with a back up guitar and the tech 21 I am up and running in two seconds if something goes wrong, which in 15 years and hundreds of gigs so far so good.
 
bgh":2rjln6js said:
No one has mentioned this yet, but I have found a small LED flashlight to be a very good thing to have with me. The small ones are strong enough for me to see what I need (their range is only 2 feet or so) but yet not strong enough that anyone else notices.
Click to expand...


I actually have one tied to the zipper of my soft rack case.

I carry 2 guitars to each gig, I use an H&K Grandmeister mainly with a G Major in the loop. If the G Major were to shit out, I have the internal FX in the Grandmeister. I also carry a TubeMeister 36 as a backup (both can go direct if needed). I have 4 guitar cables (2 Monster, a Mogami, and a Live Wire), 2 mic cables, a Sennheiser E609, SM57 and a 58, extra midi cables, an extra small midi board in my bag. I have allen wrenches for anything I may need. I carry two packs of extra strings, plus a pack full of leftover spares (if I break a string from a new set and don't want to replace them all). I keep a snark in my bag, although I use the tuner in the G Major mostly. I need a new Leatherman multi-tool, as it disappeared.

I come fairly prepared.
 
- Spare cables (at least 2)
- Spare guitar in tune, on a stand
- Headlamp
- Gaffer tape
- Cutter

Keep all the aforementioned nearby you while you're onstage.
 
Aside from the advice already given, I would add that your backup gear doesn't need to cost a fortune. Sure, you can buy a second unit of your favorite amp if money and loading in/out is no object, but you can also save yourself a bunch of money and work by throwing a POD/micro head/whatever in your bag. Don't rule out a small combo amp as a backup either- they're fine at a mic'ed gig. Likely won't sound as good, but it will get you through, and as long as it doesn't sound like a swarm of bees raping your ears people generally don't care.

Another bit- simplicity is good. Fewer parts generally means a faster setup/teardown, and fewer things to go wrong. Taking a long time to get on/off stage is a surefire way of pissing everyone else off.

And keep some extra picks within reach.
 
indespise":24val2j7 said:
Aside from the advice already given, I would add that your backup gear doesn't need to cost a fortune. Sure, you can buy a second unit of your favorite amp if money and loading in/out is no object, but you can also save yourself a bunch of money and work by throwing a POD/micro head/whatever in your bag. Don't rule out a small combo amp as a backup either- they're fine at a mic'ed gig. Likely won't sound as good, but it will get you through, and as long as it doesn't sound like a swarm of bees raping your ears people generally don't care.

Another bit- simplicity is good. Fewer parts generally means a faster setup/teardown, and fewer things to go wrong. Taking a long time to get on/off stage is a surefire way of pissing everyone else off.

And keep some extra picks within reach.
Click to expand...
Some of the pedals I use can go DI if my amp dies. The AMT SS11-a and the Effectrode Blackbird both work well going DI.
 
romanianreaper":2dcexk03 said:
Don't let your wife kick over a beer that creates a puddle under your feet while you are unplugging electrical components after a gig. Yes this happened and thankfully I didn't fry. :)
Click to expand...

So, what is the payout on your new life insurance policy? :D


even my backups have backups, but still looking for bass and drum players for over a year...but my gear is ready :yes:
 
Spare tubes
Spare cables
Spare guitar
Spare strings
Spare underwear in case you stopped at Taco Bell on the way to the gig
 
depends how big of a gig..

for me I guess I travel "light"..

Standard stuff:
  • guitar
  • amp head
  • 2x12 cab
  • pedalboard
  • cables (I made a snake to go to/from my pedalboard, reduces setup time and limits errors)
  • earplugs
  • strings/picks
Extra stuff:
  • extra picks
  • extra pack or 2 of strings
  • 2x 9v power supplies (my old setup)
  • 1x 18v power supply (my old setup)
  • Extra onespot CS7 power supply (what I should be doing now)

GENERALLY SPEAKING, the main things that could fail at a gig are (in order from most likely to least likely:)
  1. strings breaking
  2. cables
  3. tubes
  4. pedal power supplies (because they are usually complicated switching style power supplies)

so if it's a fairly small/short gig.. just cover the above 4 things and you're pretty well covered
if it's a big gig, I'd have atleast 2 of everything. 2 guitars, 2 amp heads, etc..
 
And for those big gigs, you get a "tech"... eh..... pipe up, don't be shy... Watch those SRV and Guthrie clips...pretty gig-saving moves, huh?!
 
In my cable bag I have a bunch of tools and spare parts, crazy glue, wood glue and toothpicks. I also have a drum key (yes , did a gig where the drummer didn't have his and saved his ass) and an assortment of fuses (saved the day when a bass player didn't have a spare fuse for his Boogie 400+)

If a cable goes bad I roll it up and duct tape it then it gets taken out of the bag for later repair, seen too many times someone go through a bunch a bad cables to get to a good one.

Martin
 
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